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"What are you guessing?" She lowered her head, her face turning red again.

“When I was thirteen, I went to the temple with my mother to burn incense. I happened to see him standing there, elegant and refined, dressed in flowing white robes, calmly engaging in a battle of wits with a group of dissolute young men who were harassing respectable women. They all lost convincingly. That day, he was dashing and handsome, and I remembered him. Later, I saw him at many aristocratic banquets, still as dashing as ever. Later, later—” She glanced at me with a complicated expression.

I smiled calmly: "Later, it was rumored that he fell in love with the fourth young lady of the Xie family. Was that right? And then, heartbroken, you obeyed your parents' orders and went to the palace, didn't you?"

"How did you know?" she asked, somewhat surprised.

I rolled my eyes. This is a standard scene from TV; I could have guessed it would be like this.

Ignoring her surprise and questions, I yawned inelegantly and said to her, "I'm tired, going to sleep. You can take care of him. Goodnight." Before she could react, I lazily turned and walked away.

I just don't believe she'd leave him hanging like that. Hehe, I should play matchmaker and help lovers reunite. Anyway, I've got nothing better to do. Haha.

I really couldn't bear to leave little Wenwen alone, so—hehe.

Volume 2, Chapter 72, Xi Jiachang

The weeping poppies have scattered, the remaining flowers are in disarray, a lonely flower hall in the deep courtyard. Let the fallen petals not be swept away, but left for the dancers to return.

Life is like an endless cycle of renewal, with the rising and setting of the sun and moon, the changing of the stars and the Big Dipper. Each day I observe the various events I've experienced in this world, recalling those moments, even the things I've witnessed. Suddenly, I feel like I've lived for a very, very long time. Perhaps I've lived too long, and I've begun to forget many things, or perhaps I've started to distort some of my memories. I'm starting to feel confused, whether about the past, present, or future. I'm beginning to lose sight of many truths. Perhaps I'm too close to the situation to see clearly, or perhaps I'm deliberately escaping. In any case, right now, I feel lost and directionless.

Perhaps, in this world, there is no such thing as that fleeting moment of eternity that I am searching for.

Yes, there are, but they are just beautiful fairy tales that were accidentally left behind in the human world.

With a soft sigh, I closed my eyes again, lay back on the recliner, and decided to get some rest. It's best to stop daydreaming. "Mom, so you're here! Shao Shao has been looking for you for ages!" If I had known there were such a spoiled child in the world, I definitely wouldn't have felt this maternal instinct kick in so easily.

I got up and looked at the guy who ran over and hugged me. I said bluntly, "Little brat, how old are you? Why are you still acting like a three-year-old?"

He scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled sheepishly. Honestly, he's so cute, it's impossible to get angry with him. Looking at his rosy little face, I pinched it hard for a long time, as usual, before letting go. This guy had already woken up even Little White, who was lazily napping with me on the treetop. Little White got up angrily, glanced disdainfully at us, the so-called mother and son, wagged its noble tail, and went to find a more comfortable place to continue its daydreams.

I got a little tired of squeezing him, so I mercifully stopped. He stood there, rubbing his swollen cheek, looking at me with a very aggrieved expression. His big eyes seemed to say, "How old are you? How can you bully a younger person like that? I'm not having it!"

I hugged him affectionately, saying in a sickeningly sweet tone, "Little Shao Shao, who told you to be so cute? I just can't resist wanting to give you a good spanking." By the end, my expression was wicked, like that of a cruel stepmother. Abusing a child who wasn't her own.

He wasn't buying it. He broke free and asked, "When will Father let you go back? Although," the little brat glanced around the Frostfall Palace, which was completely different from before, and continued, "this place looks much more spacious and beautiful than your old place, but it's really inconvenient to sneak here to see you every time I have to get away from those eunuchs and nannies. And," he looked at me earnestly, "I hope you and Father can be together."

I smiled faintly, took the bouquet of flowers he handed me, and was about to go inside to arrange them when the little kid next to me excitedly called out, "Sister Su Da!"

I turned my head and, sure enough, saw Suda carrying a plate of fruit over. I had only recently taught her how to make this fruit platter, and I hadn't expected her to make it so beautifully. But thinking of the child's fawning face and unusually sweet voice just now, I didn't hesitate to slap her hard: "Call me 'sister,' and you call me 'old lady,' as if I'm some kind of old lady. Do you really think I'm old? And stop with that lecherous look. Your Aunt Suda is your mother, your father's wife. Show some respect!" Completely forgetting that I was the one who made the child call me "Mom," the kid started spouting nonsense when he saw the difference in treatment.

A child, clutching his injured head, looked at Su Da with teary eyes and pitifully cried out, "Aunt Su, my mom bullied me... Waaah..."

"Come on, don't be sad. Have some fruit. Your mother just had it delivered today. It's very fresh. I guarantee you've never seen some of it even at a palace banquet." Su Da completely ignored the strange mother and son who seemed to be bickering but actually being affectionate. She simply found a stool and placed the freshly peeled fruit platter on it.

I walked over, unceremoniously snatched a piece of watermelon and ate it, then looked at her and teased, "Where's that guy? Is he still asleep or has he left?"

Xiao Shao looked at us suspiciously, stuffing an apple into his mouth, and asked, "Who is that guy?"

I remained silent, only watching with amusement as Su Da, whose face was sure to turn red, looked at Ti Huan.

She lowered her head, as if trying to conceal something, and said, "Young Master Huan woke up very early. He heard you didn't want to see him and left disappointed." She then gave me a look of utter resentment, a look that almost sent chills down my spine. Was this... this really the Su Da I knew?

At this moment, Sima Shao, biting into a piece of watermelon, shouted as if he had discovered a new continent: "Mom, you, you actually secretly kept a man behind Father's back! What kind of wild man is he that made you betray Father?! You're doomed, you're doomed if someone finds out."

I was speechless, and then gave this outspoken brat a sharp rap on the head: "When adults are talking, children shouldn't interrupt. Don't worry, I won't forget you when I get what's coming to me."

Then, I met Su Da's slightly gloomy eyes and smiled, "Don't worry, I won't like him. He won't like me forever either. He's just intrigued by women like me for a while. You know, everyone needs novelty, right? He's never met a woman as eccentric, with such strange ideas, and sometimes as independent as a man, which is why he treats me with a little bit of special attention. Now, he's met his soulmate, and you two can live happily ever after."

She didn't say anything more, but stared at me intently for a long time. While I was still in a daze, she laughed and said, "Wei Ying, you'll never know how many people will fall for you because of that little bit of 'specialness' you talk about." After saying that, she left me standing there dumbfounded like a fool.

I snapped out of my daze and saw the little brat looking me up and down with a serious expression. Finally, he concluded, "Mom, I just can't see any qualities in you that make you a femme fatale. Oh no, I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this. Could it be that I really underestimated you?"

I threw all the flowers in my hand at that damned brat, yelling, "Your mother is as beautiful as a goddess, a beauty that could topple kingdoms, a beauty that could rival Xi Shi, a reincarnation of Diao Chan, Chen Yuanyuan, or Yang Guifei—ah, Yang Guifei is out of the question—and how dare you say that about me?! No qualifications?! Are you blind...?"

From afar came the innocent voice of a little kid who had been stung by a flower thorn: "Mom, I don't know anything about those people you're talking about, like Chen Yuanyuan and Yang Guifei—"

I stood there, completely speechless. I had forgotten about the differences between our eras.

“I’m going to be away for a while. I know there’s no way I can hide this from you, so I’m leaving everything here in your care. Suda, you’re someone I can trust, aren’t you?”

She glanced at me dismissively. "Don't you trust your own judgment?"

"I believe you, but I lack confidence. Perhaps you can help me. And I hope you can help me. You know, I can't guarantee that nothing unexpected will happen while I'm gone. I hope you can play it by ear. Perhaps this is an opportunity for your intelligence to shine, darling." I can't guarantee that after I leave, even in this cold and desolate place, some people won't come to visit or cause trouble.

"Don't say such disgusting things. I don't understand what language you're speaking."

I looked at her with feigned surprise: "Great, you're starting to get a sense of humor. Suda, this big surprise deserves a celebration tonight." I instructed Xiao Quanzi, who was playing hopscotch outside with Xiao Shaoshao: "Xiao Quanzi, go to the kitchen and get some wine and some rouge (a type of infused liquor), and also, prepare some snacks. How about we have a big party tonight? Xiao Quanzi, the happy day has arrived!" I was overjoyed.

Suda scoffed, "If you want a temporary farewell party, just say so. There's no need to beat around the bush like this. You're not going to miss this place, are you?" Seeing my uncertain expression, she raised her eyebrows and asked, "What you miss is people, us?" She seemed somewhat surprised.

I suppressed my embarrassment; she'd seen right through me, there was no point in hiding it anymore. "Missing someone means I'm still a normal person, not a cold-blooded animal. You should be proud to have such a warm-hearted friend, shouldn't you?" I retorted.

She finally showed no expression other than blushing when she heard Huan Wen's name. It was just a speechless expression that made her want to roll her eyes to the sky. It was like a beautiful woman wearing a pair of red high heels, happily strolling around on a sunny day with a gentle breeze, but suddenly realizing that she had stepped in a pile of dog poop when a handsome man walked towards her. And the handsome man happened to see her expression when she stepped in the dog poop.

That expression was as foul as shit.

Hehe, it's rare to see Su Da with such an expression, so I can't help but feel a little amused.

“Hey, whatever you do, take good care of these guys for me. My precious son, and my precious little eunuch. And of course, you.” I looked at her trustingly, “I hope you’ll all be alright when I come back.”

Volume 3

Volume Introduction:

Looking up at the vast sky, looking down at the majestic rivers and mountains, all living beings bow their heads. He is the chosen one of heaven, a goddess of the nine heavens, but who is he really? How can such vibrant beauty be left to nothing but ruins? Struggling, sinking, missing out, regretting. All because of love.

Volume 3, Chapter 73: Enchantress

"Make way, make way! Can't you see these old men want a drink? This seat has been reserved by the old man for years, and no one has ever dared to sit here without permission. Who are you little brats coming from—"

I coldly stared at these burly men, their broad backs and thick beards the epitome of domineering thugs. Xiao Qi, sitting to my left, was about to get up and teach these reckless fools a lesson, but I grabbed his arm. Qing Ci, sitting to my right, sipped his tea, looking as carefree as someone untouched by worldly affairs. I knew he understood my intention not to cause trouble. Sure enough, he stood up and said calmly to the bored men, "Brothers, my apologies. We were unaware that these were your reserved seats. We're newcomers, so please excuse our rudeness. We'll change seats right away." He then looked at me, and I silently nodded, leading the way to move to another table. Xiao Qi, too, composed himself, reverting to his usual cold and calm demeanor. This kid, he can't stay calm when it comes to me; he can't stand seeing me suffer any injustice.

However, my desire to avoid trouble did not seem to reach these people. I promptly used my folding fan to stop the lewd hand that reached out and tried to lift my chin in a flirtatious manner.

The burly man among the three seemed to laugh at my resistance instead of getting angry: "I didn't expect this young master to be so handsome and refined, yet he's a cat with claws. But that suits my taste even better. Come on, let me give you a kiss." As he spoke, he brought his stinking mouth closer to me.

They'd gone this far, their anger practically seeping into me. Since Xiao Qi and Qing Ci were about to sit down, I couldn't stop them. I casually walked over and sat down in a corner by the window that the waiter had found for us. Before my butt even touched the ground, I heard several screams behind me. Hearing those pig-like screams, I could imagine how hard they had hit me and how horrific the scene must have been.

I smiled as I admired the beautiful view outside the window, occasionally taking a sip of the fragrant Longjing tea. It was truly authentic.

Just as I was enjoying my leisurely time, a cold male voice rudely rang out: "Who's running wild on my turf without even asking if I, Lord Kratos, will allow it?"

The three burly men lying on the ground, almost beaten beyond recognition, saw their master and hurriedly cried for help: "Master, these people are provoking us here and speaking rudely to Master Kui. We wanted to teach them a lesson, but—" But they overestimated themselves.

I chuckled. What's wrong with me today? I've been keeping a low profile the whole way, so why am I still running into some jerks?

Little White nestled listlessly in my arms, intending to catch up on sleep during this chaotic time. After all, this carriage-sick fellow was exhausted from refusing to ride with me and having to fend for himself the whole way. After this stop, the rest of the road became rugged and difficult to traverse, so I switched from carriage to horseback riding. Although I had disguised myself, my face was so beautiful that I was careful to avoid attracting attention by wearing a straw hat. I only took it off when it was time to eat, but I still managed to attract the attention of a lecherous rogue. All my efforts to disguise myself as a man were for nothing.

I stood up and walked towards the gaunt, grimacing man, whose name was supposedly Kui Ye. Just as everyone thought something was about to happen, I walked past them and said kindly to the waiter who was too scared to show his face, "Would you like to prepare some sweet and sour pork ribs first? My darling is hungry."

After saying that, I walked back on my own. As I passed those guys who seemed frozen in place, I said to Little White in my arms, seemingly casually but also intentionally, "We're almost at Prajna Valley. I wonder how your ten old friends are doing? I wonder if you'll bring some snacks for your monster companions. Do you think they'll like them?"

I said this without any intention, but the people present, especially those few guys, were already sweating bullets. Just kidding, the rumors about Prajna Valley were enough to amuse them, but they didn't have the guts to test its authenticity themselves.

I feigned surprise and covered my mouth at the few ugly guys who were frozen in shock, saying, "Are you all waiting for your food like me? Honestly, why are you so slow? I've been waiting for ages, and it's still not ready. You must have heard my stomach growling. Little White is hungry too." I even muttered something aggrieved at the end.

Before I could say anything more, those arrogant guys had vanished in a 100-meter dash. Even the ones who were missing limbs were up and running. I looked at Xiao Qi and Qing Ci with feigned innocence, and they seemed a little dazed. After realizing I was faking it, they both gave a wry smile and frowned, thinking to themselves: "We must never offend our master again, or our lives will be in danger, and we'll definitely be dealt with terribly."

After we had eaten and drunk our fill, it was still early, so we continued our journey. Just before I mounted my horse, Xiao Qi had already whispered in my ear, "Those guys from earlier were from Yizhu. Their leader is Ji Mo, the city lord of this Saluo City." As expected of someone who has been with me for so long, he knew what I wanted to know.

I sneered, "Yi Zhu Zhu? Hmph, how come I didn't know there was such a guy under Yi Zhu Zhu, and a lord named Ji Mo?! When did Yi Zhu Zhu show his face in the world? Giddy up!" I sneered inwardly and spurred my horse forward.

Cyathea City was a small trading town on the border between the Jin Dynasty and Tuboji. It was a necessary stop on the way to Prajna Valley. Since I was already traveling far, I thought I'd take Xiaobai back with me and pay a visit to the old folks to thank them for giving me Xiaobai. It was still early to go to Jianxian Manor, so I wanted to go to Prajna Valley first. I wanted to see if the ten interesting playmates the old man spoke of were really as he described.

In the middle of the night, Qingci was suddenly awakened from a deep sleep. What time was it? Why had she been sleeping so soundly? Her head ached terribly. Something was wrong; she'd been drugged. She hurriedly dressed and rushed out the door. Reaching the young master's door, she saw Maiqi, also looking sleepy and disheveled, arrive just as quickly. The two exchanged a worried glance, a bad premonition rising within them. If something happened to their master right under their noses, how could they face Uncle Fu, who had always kept watch over the young master at Junjin Manor, how could they face those who had received Junjin's kindness, how could they face themselves? Guilt, regret, and pain flashed in their eyes, but they dared not think further.

It felt like an eternity before Mai Qi finally mustered the courage to gently knock on the door and ask, "Young Master, are you alright?"

It felt like another century had passed before a voice, pale and exhausted, came from inside the room: "Sigh, I'm fine, you can come in."

No matter how much time had passed, Mai Qi and Qing Ci could never forget the scene they saw when they pushed open the door. The young man, dressed in white, was now stained with blood, holding a long sword. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he had emerged from the ashes. His exquisite face was still spotless, appearing exceptionally pale and alluring against the backdrop of the red blood, so beautiful that he seemed otherworldly. At the young man's feet lay several corpses covered with black cloth, convulsing grotesquely. The floor was covered with still-flowing blood, which made the young man's pupils appear slightly red, adding a touch of sinister charm and bewitching allure.

Mai Qi and Qing Ci saw that the young man holding the longsword was now trembling uncontrollably, his hands and entire body shaking violently.

This made Mai Qi and Qing Ci almost die of guilt on the spot. The pain in their hearts was almost indescribable. The two couldn't help but murmur, "Young Master—"

The young master, who usually wouldn't even harm a bird except to tease those who hurt him, had killed someone. Mai Qi remembered the first time they met and he saved the robbers; the robbers had injured their legs, but he hadn't killed them, showing mercy to all enemies. Today, was it a last resort? Mai Qi and Qing Ci could imagine the fear, pain, and inner conflict he felt at this moment.

After a long while, the longsword in the young man's hand fell to the ground, the crisp sound shattering the tranquility of the night. The young master stood there blankly for a long time before letting out a heavy sigh, as if all his strength had been drained in an instant, and said in an exhausted tone, "Dispose of these corpses. I need to rest."

When Mai Qi and Qing Ci went forward to examine the men in black, they saw a familiar face and exclaimed in unison, "Yi Zhu!"

The person lying on the bed like a walking corpse ignored the two people's words, as if lifeless, the silence was terrifying.

Mai Qi and Qing Ci said nothing more, and instructed their men to quietly dispose of the bodies under the cover of darkness.

I lay numbly on the bed, staring wide-eyed into the darkness, coldly thinking to myself: Jimo, is it? Cyathea City, is it? I will make you, I will make your city pay a price you cannot bear. You will regret staining my hands with blood; you will know the moment when the devil Satan descends.

Book 3, Chapter 74: Satan

Prajna Valley.

The valley was so quiet that even the sound of my own footsteps and the rustling of the wind could be clearly heard. If I hadn't heard the old man talk about the valley's strangeness, I probably would have forgotten all about the supernatural and mythical creatures, and simply enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Flowers bloomed in vibrant colors, and the trees were lush and verdant, as if I had fallen into a dream. A layer of white mist constantly lingered among the trees, making the mountain seem even more ethereal and dreamlike. It was as if everything here possessed a life force, living its life with a detached and peaceful attitude, at a slow and rhythmic pace. I even had the strange feeling that the arcs of the butterflies flitting among the flowers were predetermined. I don't know why I had this strange feeling.

Little White in my arms didn't share my hallucinations; it was as excited as if it had returned to a long-lost hometown. It looked around, leaping with joy.

Led by Xiaobai, we traversed dense forests and mountain streams, past fragrant flowers and verdant banks. What seemed like a steep, seemingly insurmountable cliff turned out to be a completely different world after we passed through it. A vast, open green expanse stretched out, with hundreds of steps leading up to several oddly shaped huts. To be honest, they had a rather modern feel, if they weren't wooden or thatched cottages. I was alone the whole way, oh, and with Xiaobai too. I left Xiaoqi, who was traveling with us, in Cyathea City; he'd go straight to Jianxian Manor after completing my assigned task. Qingci led the rest of the group to Jianxian to meet up with his master. Perhaps he could offer some small assistance.

I watched as a few oddly dressed and styled individuals occasionally emerged from the house, and I knew I had arrived at my destination. This was the lair of the Ten Eccentrics. I wiped the fine beads of sweat from my forehead; it really was far, and I was exhausted.

Perhaps I should give them a little surprise as a small greeting gift. After tilting my head and thinking for a while, I chuckled mischievously and then sneakily headed down the mountain to the wooden house.

Not long after, Nine Monsters suddenly discovered a corpse in front of his door, an exceptionally handsome young man, comparable to his peerless beauty friend. After pushing, shoving, and shouting at the lying figure to no avail, the ever-shrewd Nine Monsters suddenly had an idea. Since it had fallen from the sky, it was perfect for testing his newly researched insidious itching pus-filled rotten powder. The thought of this beautiful young man slowly, slowly becoming itchy all over under his poison, scratching involuntarily in his dreams, with chunks of flesh falling off where he was scratched, followed by the oozing of disgusting, foul-smelling pus, filled Nine Monsters with anticipation, and then his entire body beginning to rot. But at this point, the man would not die; instead, he would helplessly watch his own flesh rot until only a skeleton remained.

Although the lack of an antidote gave Nine Monsters a slight apprehension, the thought of having free living subjects for experiments made them disregard such concerns. Nine Monsters couldn't wait to see the boy wake from his dream and be terrified to death by seeing his own rotting, skeletal form. Although a tiny pang of pity stirred within him at the sight of such a beautiful boy, what kind of person was Nine Monsters? He was a heartless man, driven by a desire for amusement!

Just as Jiuguai was happily carrying the powder to the experimental table and sprinkling it onto the boy's fair and smooth face, the boy, who had been sleeping soundly without moving, suddenly opened his eyes, grinned eerily at him, and blew on it. Before the stunned Jiuguai could even react to that strange smile, the damned powder had already completely dissolved into his skin. Damn it, to prevent interference from wind or external objects, this latest generation of poison was designed to dissolve into the flesh upon contact with the skin.

When the thought that it was not the handsome young man making faces at him who was about to rot, but himself, Jiuguai let out a sharp, eerie scream. The shrill scream not only scared away the sparrows in the woods outside the door, but also attracted the other Jiuguai (a shortened name for nine monsters, hehe).

Just as the other nine monsters arrived at the ninth brother's house, they saw a handsome young man in white sitting gloatingly on a high platform, watching the nine monsters rolling on the ground and laughing sinisterly. The other nine monsters were glaring fiercely at the young man, preparing to question him about what he had done, or to tear him to pieces, or to throw him into the Dark Current (the place where the divine beasts live, as introduced earlier) to feed them as dinner, when Xiao Bai, who had finished watching the show, jumped into the young man's arms and explained everyone's doubts.

"A divine beast! An Jin?!" they exclaimed in unison.

I nodded leisurely, jumped off the stage, and bowed to the strange uncles, saying, "Greetings, esteemed uncles."

Upon hearing my voice, a dignified-looking white-haired uncle standing in front of me said disdainfully, "Don't pretend. Although I didn't teach that guy the disguise technique, those voice-changing pills were my invention. Little girl, what brings you here?"

I blinked my big, innocent eyes, staring at them without batting an eye, and said with utter innocence and utter grievance, "I missed you all, Uncles. I happened to be passing by and thought I'd come and visit, but when I arrived, I was so tired that I fell asleep in front of Uncle Jiu's door. But when I woke up, I heard Uncle Jiu muttering about doing some kind of experiment on me. In my haste, I blew on it and this happened." By the end, I was almost in tears.

The nine uncles spoke in unison to their ninth uncle, who was itching uncontrollably on the ground: "Ninth brother, this is wrong of you. Your little nephew has gone to great lengths to come here, how could you—"

My face remained trembling with fear, but inside I was secretly chuckling. They were so easily fooled. These ten oddballs were indeed simple-minded and naive. Aside from their love of playing games (though sometimes those games cost lives) and teasing, they truly didn't know the wickedness of the human heart.

Uncle Jiu, lying on the ground, gritted his teeth and said, "You little devil." Then he cried out in pain.

He pleaded pitifully with his elder brothers, "Save me, brothers."